Truth is in the Air
by Sky Princess2
Summary: Strange atmosphere at Hogwarts, the air is heavily perfumed and..... everyone seems to have trouble holding their feelings in, creating a very embarassing situation for everyone...
1. Default Chapter

Truth is in the Air  
  
Chapter One: Girlie Purfume  
  
Harry awoke on that bleak autumn morning. The atmosphere was eerie and the air was sweetly perfumed. He pulled back his curtains and realised the aroma became stronger. Ron poked his sleepy head out of his own curtains and his face screwed up at Harry.  
  
"Oy Harry, have you been using girlie purfume?" he asked with a sleepy laugh.  
  
"No I thought it was you" replied Harry and laughed along with Ron.  
  
They went down to breakfast together and met Hermione there, who was reading a copy of Shadows and Souls.  
  
"I heard about that book, they said some kid went mental after reading that" said Ron, pointing accusingly at the dark leather-bound book.  
  
"Oh come on that's just an urban legend, nothing I've read so far has made me remotely mental." said Hermione, putting the book down.  
  
"Oh wait...that's right...you were mental even before you started reading it, sorry...my mistake."  
  
"Do you mind, I'm trying to finish this." said Hermione with an annoyed air.  
  
After a minute of silence Harry began observing the way everyone was acting. They were all fanning themselves and were quite silent. Most students who said something quickly became embarassed and went red, a blonde girl from the Ravenclaw table even ran away after saying something to a spunky brown haired boy who sat opposite her. Then Harry realised that the smell had grown unbearably strong and he felt naucious.  
  
"What do you think this smell is?" Harry asked Ron and Hermione who were both busily spreading their golden peices of toast with an odd coloured jam.  
  
"I dunno... it's really irritating, maybe it's from Trewalney but it's different somehow" answered Ron as he covered his nose with his hand for a moment, then got back to his toast.  
  
Then out of nowhere came Draco, looking smug as usual.  
  
"Well, well, well who do we have here, the famous Harry Potter, er.. Ron Weasley and the stunning Hermione Granger" the blonde boy exclaimed, and couldn't beleive his words as he said this. His eyes bulged out and he looked confused and surprised at the same time.  
  
"I mean the uggl... ugg... ug... bushy haired .... ugglll.." he tried again, but the words just didn't come, he couldn't make himself say it.  
  
Crabb and Goyle who were standing at either of his sides looked at each other and shrugged. Draco then looked irritated and walked off. Hermione glanced at Harry and then at Ron, with a puzzled expression on her face.  
  
"What's up with him?" Ron asked and scratched his head.  
  
"I don't know, maybe he's up to no good again, what a loser" answered Harry.  
  
Hermione just shrugged and continued to look puzzled as she turned to look at the grey view  
  
outside the window. Her soul was posessed by questions and her spirit soaring high. 


	2. By the Misty Lake

Chapter Two: By the Misty Lake  
  
After breakfast Harry, Ron and Hermione had Potions with the Slytherins. As the trio made their way to the dark classroom, Hermione was quiet and concealed in thought. There was an unusual silence between them until Ron broke it.  
  
"So Hermione do ya think Draco likes you, hope you don't like him either".  
  
"What?? Ron, what the heck are you talking about? Draco.. likes me?? He was probably.. erm.. just making fun of me or something.. and how cou ld you ever think I like him, did you have too many Fizzing Whizzbies or something?" screamed Hermione as she chucked her Shadows and Souls book at the wall.  
  
Ron looked extremely shocked at his own words and at Hermione's agressive reaction. He looked embarassed and was blushing. Why did he say that, he thought.  
  
"Calm down Hermione, what's up with everyone today?" said Harry and picked up Hermione's book up shortly afterwards.  
  
He began to open the dark leather bound book but Hermione snatched it off him.  
  
"That's private Harry." she told him.  
  
Ron was still in shock when they sat down at the back of the Potions classroom, and Harry was wondering why Hermione would say that a library book was "private". Snape was rambling on about something and then as a shock to the whole class came something unexpected.  
  
"As much as I hate to say this.... but Granger has top marks in everything this year again, I don't like the thought of that, and I don't like the reality either, muggle born filth taking over everything..." Snape was carrying on without noticing what he was saying for a while but then he stopped, in no doubt realising what he had said and how prejudiced it sounded.  
  
The Gryffindors gasped and looked shocked and the Slytherins were laughing their heads off and looking pleased.  
  
"Umm.. err.. I mean.. err. sorr....err.... excuse me" he growled and looking as pale as someone possibly could he rushed out of the classroom.  
  
"What the..?" Harry spoke in disbeleif.  
  
"We can report him for that, he knows it. Nobody's gonna insult MY HERMIONE like that!!!!!!!" cried Ron.  
  
"Umm.. Ron... what did you say? Did you just call me ..err...." spoke Hermione as she looked at the red headed boy, who's face had gone so red that his hair blended in with it.  
  
Ron tried to say something, but the words didn't come, he hesitated and then raced out of the room. Harry realised that the whole class was turned to them, and was laughing and pointing.  
  
"Just ignore them Harry" whispered Hermione and got back to chopping up her potion ingredients.  
  
**************  
  
The double lesson of Potions had ended and still neither Snape nor Ron returned. Finally later that day Hermione found Ron sitting by the misty lake (Harry had to rush to Quidditch practise). The red haired boy was dodging small stones into the water.  
  
"Hi Ron... why didn't you come back to class" asked Hermione as she sat down next to him.  
  
"Oh yeah like I'd really go back there after.."  
  
"After that... why did you say it anyway?"  
  
"Because I LOVE YOU and I don't want anyone being mean to you, except me" said Ron and then looked extremely surprised and embarassed at his own words again.  
  
"Ron... you love me?? You do? I thought you were just plainly annoyed by me all the time.. the truth is...... that erm... I... uh.. have feelings for you... too...." said Hermione and fiddled uncomfortably with the bright green blades of grass.  
  
Ron didn't really know how to react to this, he was happy, that's all he knew. Hermione liked HIM, not Draco, as he suspected earlier. Why he would have ever thought that Hermione might like Draco, he didn't know, he didn't think it out clearly, he just felt jealous without reason, and couldn't say anything to her. Why was he saying all this to her now? He didn't know that either. Why did Draco call Hermione stunning when she's one of his number one enemies? Draco didn't sound like he was being sarcastic... and it made Ron confused. Why was Hermione acting so strangely this morning after Draco told her that?!?! It seemed like she was thinking about Draco... as if she had a crush on him or something. But she couldn't have a crush on him, and she didn't, she liked Ron. And that's all he needed to know, that was the most important answer he needed out of the millions questions running through his mind.  
  
"It's a strange day isn't it... why is everyone saying stupid things all of a sudden?" asked Ron after he stopped gazing at the bushy haired girl next to him and looked down at the grass, somewhat shyly.  
  
"I have something to tell you.. Snape has asked me to marry him, and I said yes... I guess all this strangeness is because the laws of the universe have been broken by our engagement."  
  
"What??!??!!?!? Are you serious?!??!?!"  
  
"No, I'm just messing with your head" laughed Hermione. "Did you really beleive me?"  
  
"Yes I did" answered Ron, looking annoyed now, because this was not the reply he wanted to give.  
  
"Well anyway.. I do have something important to tell you... something really important.. and if this leaks out... I'm in big trouble!!"  
  
Ron tried to say something sarcastic but couldn't get the words out.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Here it goes.. I found some notes of parchment inside the Shadows and Souls book, that's why I didn't want Harry to open it. Well in the notes it had some spells and things and one of them was a truth spell, I didn't know at the time but.. it's illegal, and if anyone finds out that I did the spell I might be expelled. And also... the person who casts the spell wont be affected. It takes some time to catch on but soon everyone will be affected and they wouldn't be able to resist saying anything.."  
  
"So that's why everyone's acting so weird... including.. err... me. But anyway why did you cast the stupid spell?"  
  
"You'll find it hard to beleive... but I didn't completely read the description of the spell.... I was tired.. and our dormitory smelled really bad... and the spell said it would perfume the room...." said Hermione and she burst into tears. "I'm so stupid!!"  
  
"No you're not!! Well find a counter spell, won't we.. it'll be alright...." said Ron and took Hermione's hand.  
  
"There is no counter spell, it has to run it's course... until the whole truth is out..."  
  
And so they sat there, holding hands, by the misty lake. 


	3. Mysterious Encounter

Chapter Three: Mysterious Encounter  
  
The night had fallen upon the heavily perfumed Hogwarts castle. In the Gryffindor common room Hermione was huddled in a big armchair and was studying for the next day's Arithmancy quiz. She and Ron had just explained everything to Harry, who now looked dazed. They all wanted to know who had taken out the Shadows and Souls book before Hermione had taken it out. It was certainally against the rules to ever put a spell like that on paper, and then even leave it in a book for everyone to find it. Maybe that person left it there by accident, who knows what they were up to, really.  
  
"I forgot my notes in Herbology, I should really go and get them now" said Hermione as she stood up from her armchair.  
  
"Okay...umm.. Hermione... if you're not back in half an hour we'll go looking for ya" said Ron, as he struggled not to say something else that he would have regretted to say in front of Harry.  
  
"Do want us to come with you?"Harry asked his bushy haired friend.  
  
"Ah, no it's ok, I won't be long" she replied and began walking away.  
  
As Hermione walked across the common room she heard Lavender tell Seamus that she liked him and instantly knew that all the embarassment that everyone had gone through today was all her fault. Then Hermione walked through the portrait hole and out into the corridor. It was unusually dark and creepy, and the girl was slightly scared. Then out of nowhere someone or something grabbed her and covered her mouth so she wouldn't be heard if she screamed.  
  
"Don't struggle, you'll only make it harder for yourself" whispered the stranger into her ear.  
  
Hermione tried to break away, and tried to reach the wand in her sleeve but her arms were locked by someone stronger than her. Hermione then realised she was being dragged into a dark empty classroom. Before she knew what had happaned, the intruder locked the door and took her wand away from her. It was all confusing and sudden, she didn't even have time to wonder who this person might have been. Her heart was racing and she was scared to death, with her pale face bathed in the moonlight that crept in through the open windows. In a moment she was freed from the powerful clutches of the mysterious stranger. Pointing the wand at Hermione he muttered something in a soft boyish voice.  
  
Hermione realised that her feet felt as heavy as if they were made of lead, she tried to run, but she couldn't break away from the ground, she was denied of that simple request. Thousands of questions were running through the frightened girl's mind. What was she to do? Who was this person she couldn't see in the dark? Why did this person do this? And just before Hermione realised she wanted to scream for help, the stranger said something.  
  
"Don't scream... please... Hermione" the whispery voice pleaded.  
  
"Who are you?" Hermione let out.  
  
The dark figure that she couldn't see stepped into the moonlight. Instantly Hermione saw that this was a boy, a boy her age, a boy she had never seen before, a boy who had sandy hair and attractive hazel eye, eyes which had an intense piercing gaze. He was wearing navy robes, something told Hermione that this boy should be a student at Hogwarts, but was not.  
  
"Finally I'm near you, I've been awaiting this for a long time" said the boy, ignoring Hermione's question.  
  
"What's your name, and why are you doing this?" she requested from him.  
  
"I'm Orlando, Orlando Filch, I'm Filch's son, a squib like him. The fact that I don't have magical powers may be the reason why he's so mean to all the students. He's bitter about it... he reckons I should have gone to Hogwarts... but my name wasn't on the magical children's list... and Dumbledore couldn't do anything about it. I came up here to visit my dad a few weeks ago-" said the sandy haired boy as he took several steps toward Hermione before she abruptly interrupted his speech.  
  
"How did you cast that spell then? If you're a squib" asked Hermione with a shudder in her voice.  
  
"Over time we can learn a few simple spells... but that is all. I don't like being around students, so I hid in empty classrooms... I observed... observed all you magical kids... how lucky you all are... how happy you all seem... and as I observed I began to notice YOU, you enchanted me with your beauty and smarts. I sneaked around the school just to steal a glimpse of you... it's obsession... I feel like my head could explode any minute, I had to know what it was... did I really love you? I swore to myself that I would never love one of those students, those happy magical students. I couldn't beleive it... I needed to hear myself say it out loud, to say the truth... then I realied something... what if I could make a truth spell, of course I couldn't do it myself..."- Orlando began playing with Hermione's hair-"I found a spell... a spell that would embarass the whole school and help me find out the truth about my feelings, the spell doesn't affect the one who casts it, I didn't want to hurt you... so I sneaked it into one of your library books... hoping that you would cast it."  
  
"You... uh... you LOVE me? How can you? You don't even know me" said Hermione who was stunned by everything and didn't know whether she should slap Orlando in the face or not.  
  
"Well obviously I do love you, I heard myself say it... and now I know it's true"- He paused and sighed- "I never imagined that I could ever love a witch."  
  
"Why do you hate us so much? There's no need to" said Hermione as she patted Orlando on the shoulder.  
  
"I don't really know, I'm just jealous that I don't have the powers that you have" said Orlando, looking up at the bright silver moon.  
  
"There's no need to be jealous... you seem so alone... you should try to make some friends. Oh and why did you bind my feet to the ground? Couldn't you just approach me like a normal person would?" let out Hermione as she looked down at the wand in the boy's hand.  
  
"I.. uh.. I'm sorry about that... it was just easier for me this way. Are you saying that you could be my friend?" he answered as he pointed the wand at Hermione and sparks flew out of it.  
  
"Yeah sure... you could be my friend, come around tomorrow. You'll meet Harry and Ron and everyone" said Hermione through her smile as she lifted her feet off the ground to check if she could.  
  
"Oh.. but I'm leaving tonight, I just needed to know what my feelings were.. that's all.. that's why I did this tonight" said Orlando sadly and reached toward Hermione to give her a first and last kiss. He then stepped back.  
  
"Good bye Hermione" he said and without more warning than that, the sandy haired boy ran out of the classroom.  
  
Hermione was startled, she didn't know what to think or what to do, standing there for a moment looking at the door that Orlando had ran out of. She realised that she didn't have a chance to say goodbye and ran out into the corridor to catch up with him. The corridor was empty, and he was gone. Deciding that she might see him on the way to the Herbology area she paced away. He was not in sight, nowhere to be found, out in the Hogwarts grounds she walked to the Herbology greenhouses. Walking in the path of the silver moonlight she thought and she wondered, and decided that this was going to be her secret, something for her heart to keep.  
  
"Goodbye Orlando." she whispered into the wind which was not perfumed any longer.  
  
*The End *  
  
Note from the Author: I hope you all liked my little fan fiction. When I started it I had an entirely different idea of how I was going to write it. It was going to be just a stupid comedy without a storyline, but as you see here it's turned out to be more like a drama, and not very funny at all. It was too hard to make it funny anyway. This is also my first fan fiction and it probably shows, hey? he he And I hope that the next fan fictions that I write will be better :) 


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